In a new scheme of deception, companies voluntarily give data to criminals.
The FBI has issued a warning to US companies about a new scheme of scammers who use Emergency Data Requests to steal personal information.
Using hacked email addresses of government agencies, fraudsters demand that private companies urgently provide confidential data, allegedly necessary for investigations. Companies, fearing for the safety of people, often provide data without checking the requests thoroughly. As a result, criminals gain access to users' personal information – phones, addresses, and emails, which are then used for extortion or phishing.
According to the FBI, in recent months, there has been an increase in sales of compromised government accounts on shady forums. For example, in August 2024, a cybercriminal offered access to .gov addresses for espionage and extortion. The seller claimed to be able to help buyers send requests for emergency data, and also provided fake documents to disguise themselves as law enforcement officers.
Such cases are not isolated. In March 2024, another criminal said that he had access to government emails from more than 25 countries and was ready to help in requesting data, including email addresses and phone numbers. In December 2023, attempts to obtain data through fake requests with threats that failure to comply with the requirements could lead to the death of people were recorded.
To strengthen the protection of companies, the FBI recommends that all incoming emergency requests for data be critically evaluated by checking documents for forgeries and inconsistencies in legal codes. It is also important to conduct thorough verification of the sender at the slightest suspicion.
Among the proposed measures to strengthen security:
Due to the increased threat, the FBI strongly advises organizations to review their incident response plans and update security policies. It is also important to maintain close contact with the FBI regional offices for rapid information exchange and coordination. For reporting suspicious incidents and criminal activity, the FBI recommends contacting ic3.gov or the nearest regional office.
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The FBI has issued a warning to US companies about a new scheme of scammers who use Emergency Data Requests to steal personal information.
Using hacked email addresses of government agencies, fraudsters demand that private companies urgently provide confidential data, allegedly necessary for investigations. Companies, fearing for the safety of people, often provide data without checking the requests thoroughly. As a result, criminals gain access to users' personal information – phones, addresses, and emails, which are then used for extortion or phishing.
According to the FBI, in recent months, there has been an increase in sales of compromised government accounts on shady forums. For example, in August 2024, a cybercriminal offered access to .gov addresses for espionage and extortion. The seller claimed to be able to help buyers send requests for emergency data, and also provided fake documents to disguise themselves as law enforcement officers.
Such cases are not isolated. In March 2024, another criminal said that he had access to government emails from more than 25 countries and was ready to help in requesting data, including email addresses and phone numbers. In December 2023, attempts to obtain data through fake requests with threats that failure to comply with the requirements could lead to the death of people were recorded.
To strengthen the protection of companies, the FBI recommends that all incoming emergency requests for data be critically evaluated by checking documents for forgeries and inconsistencies in legal codes. It is also important to conduct thorough verification of the sender at the slightest suspicion.
Among the proposed measures to strengthen security:
- Use of two-factor authentication;
- Implementing strict password management policies;
- Creating passwords that are at least 16 characters long and have complex combinations of letters, numbers, and special characters.
- Restriction of access to corporate networks;
- Configure network segmentation to prevent the spread of malware.
- Using tools to monitor suspicious activity.
Due to the increased threat, the FBI strongly advises organizations to review their incident response plans and update security policies. It is also important to maintain close contact with the FBI regional offices for rapid information exchange and coordination. For reporting suspicious incidents and criminal activity, the FBI recommends contacting ic3.gov or the nearest regional office.
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